


Robots & Mistletoe

by LibbyWeasley



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No SHIELD (Marvel), Christmas, F/M, First Kiss, Fitzsimmons Secret Santa 2020, Fluff and Smut, boss!Jemma, toymaker!Fitz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibbyWeasley/pseuds/LibbyWeasley
Summary: When Fitz enters a competition to design a toy, he has no idea it will lead to his whole life changing for the better. Some robots, mistletoe, and an office romance are all it takes for Fitz and Jemma to get their happily ever after. No SHIELD AU.
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Comments: 20
Kudos: 51





	Robots & Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Traviosita9124](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traviosita9124/gifts).



> Written for the lovely @mrsleopoldfitz for Fitzsimmons Secret Santa for the prompt "favorite Hallmark/holiday AU." I started with the Mistletones (which is a super cute ABC Family movie with a signing competition) but after I decided not to make Fitz sing, it all kind of went in a different direction. There are a few nods to the movie here, but it's pretty much all FS now. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Thanks to @agentofship for everything! <3

Fitz crumpled up the flyer in his hand. He couldn’t believe this was happening again, though why he was surprised he didn’t know. It wasn’t like a year hadn’t passed that Milton _hadn’t_ designed some sort of new toy in the weeks leading up to Christmas. At least this year The SHIELD Toy Company was having a sort of competition to pick the new toy they would produce, but considering that Milton was some distant relative of the CEO he wasn’t sure how impartial the judging would be. 

Well...that just meant he had to be better. His design had to be flawless, the concept had to be stellar —

“Fitz? Have you heard a word I said, mate?”

“What?” Fitz shook his head, trying to clear it. He really needed to focus if he was going to keep from being fired. “I mean, yeah. I’m listening.”

“You’re a million miles away. What gives? Is it a bird?”

Fitz rolled his eyes at Hunter. He never passed up an opportunity to regale Fitz — and anyone within listening distance — with tales of how happily married he was. He actually seemed to take Fitz’s perpetual single state as a personal failing. But it wasn’t like every woman out there was like Bobbi. Of course, he didn’t really know much about her, not even what she did for a living. She was a bit of a mystery and she seemed to like it that way.

“No, it’s not a bird.” He turned to his computer, trying to pick up the thread of the email he’d been trying to write. “It’s Christmas. Or rather, it’s _Milton_.”

“Why do you always say his name like that?” Hunter reached over to grab a piece of chocolate from his candy stash. “Do I sense some romantic tension?”

“What? No!” At Daisy’s raised eyebrows from the cubicle next to his, Fitz lowered his voice. “No, of course not. He’s like my rival. Professional rival.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means that before the accident, before everything...ah, changed, I was a much better engineer than he was.” Fitz sighed. “And now it’s like he’s always there rubbing his success in my face.”

“Then show him what you’ve got.”

It sounded so easy when Hunter said it. But to be honest, Hunter could make anything sound easy. Even things Fitz wasn’t entirely certain were legal. At least not in this country. 

“I would. I mean, I will. I just have work to do.”

“Forget about your work. Focus on the important things in life.”

“Hunter, is there something I can help you with?”

Fitz straightened up at the sound of her voice. Jemma. Dr. Simmons. He belatedly noticed that Hunter did too. For all his bravado, even Hunter wasn’t about to defy his boss.

“No, I think we’ve got it all sorted. Thank you for your help, Fitz.”

“Any time,” Fitz responded as Hunter slipped away, leaving him alone with Jemma. He stared at her, trying to think of something to say. 

“Fitz? Can you try to keep your focus on work during business hours?”

He flushed and then nodded. Jemma hesitated for a second, like she had something else to say and he held his breath, thinking this might be the moment when he finally found out if there was something between them. But then she nodded. 

From her first day in the office he’d felt a pull towards her. Just being in her orbit made him happy -- happier than he should be at a job that was designed to crush his soul. And it wasn’t just that. She was kind and brilliant. Whenever he saw that flash in her eyes he very much wanted to kiss her. And he was nearly certain she felt something for him. There had been moments that had stretched between them when their eyes met across the room or when they reached for tea at the same time. But it looked like it might go on being a hopeless crush.

“Have a good evening.” Then she headed back to her office, leaving Fitz to stare after her, like the idiot he probably was. 

A wadded up piece of paper smacked him in the head and he swiveled in his chair. 

“What is it?” he hissed at Daisy, hoping Jemma was far enough away that she couldn’t hear. It wouldn’t do to get caught having yet another personal conversation. Not that it impacted his ability to do his work. Sending emails didn’t exactly take all of his brain power. 

“So, are you going to do it or what?”

For a second he thought Daisy had somehow found out about his crush on their boss, but then he realized she was pointing at the flyer he had tried to crush. 

“I, uh...I’m not sure I can.”

Daisy gave him a skeptical look, glancing towards Jemma’s office before sliding her chair over to his desk. 

“Of course you can. This is your dream. Don’t let that stupid Milton keep you from chasing your dream.”

A slow smile spread across his face. He couldn’t have found a better friend than Daisy when he started working here. She was like Hunter that way. “How do you know he’s dumb? I’m not saying you’re wrong, mind you.”

“Please. All you do is talk about how basic his designs are. I’ve seen your sketches. You’ve got this.”

“You think so?” At her nod, he continued, reaching for a piece of paper. “I do have an idea, it’s just that I might need some help with the programming.”

“The programming you say? I think I know someone who could help with that.”

“Do you really?”

As they spoke he sketched out an idea that had been simmering in the back of his mind, just waiting to break free. His hand moved over the page, just like it used to, all of the hesitancy he’d felt since the accident gone. 

“Of course I do. You know I'd love to help.” She tried to peak over his shoulder. “Plus, I’d love to finally learn more about this Milton.”

“Not much to say, really. We went to school together. Thought we were friends...but it turned out he just wanted to be friends so I could help him with his schoolwork.”

“Sounds like a pretty shitty friend.”

“Yeah, well, I haven’t seen him since.”

He rotated the paper towards her. 

“Looks like a robot.” Daisy’s expression was carefully neutral and he wasn’t sure if there was supposed to be any judgement there. 

“Well, yeah, it looks like it’s just a robot.” He pointed at the sketch. “But there’s a USB port right here so kids can program the movements. I’ll just have to figure out all the joints and degree of motion so it can be somewhat lifelike.”

“You want to make an engineering toy,” she finally said, laughing. 

“Yeah...it’s a dumb idea, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s genius. It’ll be a hit. When do you want to start working on a prototype?”

* * *

Jemma breathed a sigh of relief as she closed her office door. This job wasn’t overly challenging, but it also wasn’t what she wanted. Mace had assured her that this position would be a stepping stone into the biomedical division. With the managerial experience she was gaining running the logistics division — a fancy name for order tracking and customer service — she should be a shoo-in for a promotion. Maybe she’d even get the chance to run her own lab.

But she’d been here for months now with no indication that she was any closer to her goal. She knew she was doing a good job. She excelled at preparation and organization, and she knew her team was 17% more productive now than they’d been when she started. And now the year was almost over and it didn’t seem like she’d be transferring anytime soon. 

The phone rang and she almost jumped out of her seat. Straightening up, she reached for the receiver. 

“Dr. Simmons. How may I help you?”

“Jemma. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“Oh, Mr. Mace. It’s so lovely to hear from you.” Or it would be if he had good news.

“I know you were planning on being closer to home by the end of the year, but I wanted to tell you that it’s getting close. I think if you have a successful holiday season and the numbers look good at the end of the quarter that I’ll be able to get that transfer for you.”

“That sounds wonderful. And I can assure you, sir, that the numbers will look excellent.”

“I knew I could count on you, Jemma.”

There was a muffled sound and Jemma thought Mace had covered the receiver to talk to someone else so she waited patiently. She could afford to be patient if he was going to follow through on his promises. 

“That’s the wife. I have to eat dinner now. But I’ll talk to you soon. Bye Jemma.”

“Goodbye, sir. And thank you,” she answered, but he was already gone. 

A transfer. It was what she wanted. But at this point it almost felt a little hollow. She’d given everything she had to this company, put in as many hours as she could every day trying to make things better before going home to her lonely apartment. She’d been pinning all her hopes on the new job, but now she was wondering if it would be enough. 

Her thoughts drifted as she stared out the window. The sun had set already, which wasn’t all that unusual considering it got dark so early this time of year, and the snow on the trees almost looked beautiful. Her heart ached a little at where she’d ended up. PhD at seventeen and the world at her fingertips, and she’d ended up in a job she hated that didn’t even require her expertise. 

And the worst part was that she had an office full of employees in the exact same situation. Well, she hoped they didn’t hate their jobs, because that would be on her, but they definitely didn’t use their talents. Daisy was some sort of computer expert, Elena could get through emails faster than anyone she’d ever met, Hunter had enough charm and leadership skills to run the whole company, and Fitz…

Somehow she always ended up back at him. Part of her wondered if it was because it was so forbidden — she couldn’t get her heart broken if she wasn’t even allowed to contemplate doing anything about it — but he was really unfairly attractive. His voice, usually gentle and calming, even when he was nervous around her, reminded her a bit of home, and those eyes...well, she could stare into his eyes forever. And it didn’t hurt that his trousers, well, she shouldn’t think about that. It wasn’t professional, and she was always professional. But she knew he had a story too, talents that extended far beyond sending polite emails regarding tracking numbers and expected delivery dates. 

With a sigh she turned back to her computer, checked her emails one last time, and logged out. It was after seven already and she needed to grab dinner before preparing for tomorrow. 

Keys in hand she closed her office door and stopped short. Hunter, Daisy, and Fitz were huddled around Fitz’s cubicle, apparently deep in discussion.

“Ugh, it won’t work. I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s not like I can just —“

Fitz’s words drifted off as he looked up and his eyes met hers. She felt uncomfortably like she’d interrupted something she wasn’t meant to be a part of. 

“You know we don’t pay overtime, right?” she said, trying to break the tension a little. Not that it wasn’t already far too late for that. 

Hunter snorted. “Yeah, we know.”

“Well, it’s late,” Jemma said after a few seconds, when it became clear that her words weren’t spurring them to action. But she had to walk right past them to get to the door anyway, so she moved closer, only then noticing that there was a piece of paper in front of Fitz with a design sketched out in pencil. 

“Is that...a robot?” Hunter shook his head while Daisy’s eyes went wide. Fitz just worked his mouth, no words coming out. “You know you can’t do non-work projects here in the office. It’s unethical.”

Disappointment tasted bitter in her mouth and Jemma felt that hopeful little bubble inside her pop.

“We weren’t,” Fitz started to say and then seemed to run out of words. 

“What Fitz means is that we were just talking. About to head out really.”

Jemma looked between the three of them. Fitz was the only one who looked the slightest bit guilty at being caught. That was interesting.

“It’s for the children,” Fitz blurted out, before rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. She’d noticed he only did that when he was feeling nervous. 

“The children?”

“It’s a design for a toy,” Daisy added helpfully. “There’s a competition being put on by the SHIELD Toy Company. The winning design will be put into production and given away to local kids.”

“That’s...nice,” Jemma said cautiously, moving closer to look at the design Fitz had put together. She hadn’t really pictured him as a toymaker.

“Fitz is an engineering genius,” Hunter said. 

Fitz’s answering groan made her feel a bit better. At least _he_ seemed to understand the seriousness of using company resources for personal projects. Though at least this sounded a bit more like charity work than entrepreneurship.

“It’s a good design,” she said after a moment of studying the lines. “But what does it do?”

Fitz turned to face her, those blue eyes nearly burning through her in their intensity. “What does it do?”

“Yes, what does it do? Toys have to do something don’t they?”

“It can be programmed. So kids can learn basic coding principles,” Daisy said. 

“What about it can be programmed?” Jemma asked, heart sinking a bit as she realized this interested her far more than anything she’d worked on over the last six months. Her need to learn and create had been stifled in this job and it was taking its toll. 

“All of the movements. Each joint is going to move just like a person, only I’m going to have to do some research —“

“I can help.” The words were out of her mouth before she had even considered saying them. But once they were there she realized she didn't even want to pull them back. “I’m not really management material. I have degrees in biology and chemistry.”

Fitz looked stunned for a second while Daisy had a half smile on her face that made Jemma a little nervous. 

“Oh, that’s —“

“That would be perfect,” Daisy finished for him. “I’m sure Fitz would be grateful for anything you can —“

“Yes. Thank you, Jemma. I mean, Dr. Simmons.” His eyes went comically wide at the perceived slip. 

“It’s fine, Fitz. If we’re going to be working on a project outside of work, a more casual form of address is appropriate.” Jemma looked up into the amused faces of Hunter and Daisy, wondering for a second if she’d made a miscalculation. It wasn’t like they could all go on calling her Dr. Simmons though. “But you still can’t work here.”

“Oh, right. I think there’s a coffee shop or something not too far…”

“You can come to my place.” Jemma really needed to do something about controlling the words coming out of her mouth.

“Oh. We wouldn’t want to impose —“ Fitz really was the sweetest man. Again, she wished he wasn’t her employee. There were so many more things she wanted to know about him. Things she couldn’t even begin to explore while they worked together.

“It’s really no problem. I spend most of my time here so I don’t get many visitors. And it’s within walking distance so it’s easy to get to.”

“See, Fitz,” Hunter said, putting a hand on Fitz’s shoulder. “I told you everything would be fine.”

“Don’t you have to go home, Hunter?” Daisy asked, with a raised eyebrow. It made Jemma feel like she was missing something. “Won’t the wife be expecting you?”

“Bobbi? Nah. She’s out of town.”

“Out of town? Or imaginary?”

“Daisy,” Fitz broke in, making Jemma think this was a longstanding conversation. “I told you before. I’ve met her. She’s real.”

Fitz turned back to Jemma and mouthed “sorry.” They shared a smile that had Jemma feeling warm all over, despite the chill in the office. One of the measures she’d taken to reduce costs had been to adjust the thermostat down every evening after hours, which she was generally the only one to regret. 

“Oh, she’s real. She’s just away...on business.”

“Sure, Hunter. I’ll believe you when I see her.” Daisy somehow managed to have the last word and Jemma smiled at their easy friendship. If things had been different… but there was no point going down that road. 

“If you have time to work now, I’m free for the rest of the night.”

* * *

The first night in her apartment turned into almost every night. Sometimes it was the four of them, and sometimes it was just him and Jemma. 

At work it felt a little bit like a secret, and maybe it was. But he didn’t think he was imagining the smiles they exchanged during the day, even when they didn’t say a word. For him, at least, things had crossed into more than friendly territory. She was brilliant. Every idea made his design better and every conversation they had led them down another path to explore. 

And it didn’t seem entirely one-sided either. She’d bought his favorite tea when he’d mentioned that was what he usually had when he was working on an idea. And they had their pizza order down to a science. But this project, designing again and using his skills, it had made him realize he needed to stop taking the easy way out. After the accident he’d followed the path of least resistance, and it had brought him some great things — friends, a chance to get his life in order, Jemma. But he didn’t want to live that life forever. 

He’d almost told her the night before that working with her, and Daisy and Hunter of course, had given him the confidence to quit and look for a job where he could actually use his engineering expertise. But then he’d worried she would think it was because of her and it hadn’t seemed to be the right time. 

And tonight they were stuck at the office Christmas party so it would have to keep for another day at least.

Jemma was up at a makeshift podium, giving the regular end-of-the-year speech about how valued they were, blah, blah, blah.

At least the punch was good, though Fitz thought he had Hunter to thank for that.

“ — and to the person who spiked the punch.” Jemma fixed the gathered attendees with a look that Fitz found slightly intimidating...and very attractive. “I know who you are.”

“Do you think she really does?” Hunter asked quietly. 

“Probably,” Fitz answered with a snort. “She knows you well enough. Plus, it’s a safe bet that it was you or Daisy anyway.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d be here, with you quitting and everything.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t do it yet.” Fitz thought about the carefully worded letter that was already printed out and signed. All he needed to do was put it on Jemma’s desk and it would be done. 

“Ah, right. Didn’t want to miss a chance to spend the evening with Jemma, did you?” Hunter studied him. “You should just grow a pair and ask her out.”

“She’s my boss. Wouldn’t be right.”

“Then go upstairs, leave the letter on her desk, and _then_ go ask her out.”

Fitz thought about it for a few seconds and then shook his head. “I can’t just do that. I’m not you.”

“Of course you can.”

Hunter didn’t press him any more, seeming to recognize the wall of resistance that was in place. But the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if he could. Maybe not ask her out. But he could definitely leave the letter on her desk. 

Fitz watched Jemma from across the room. She was greeting everyone like they were guests at her party and not like they were having an incredibly uncomfortable evening in the lobby of their building. He knew he wasn’t there with her and that they weren’t together at all, but it was still different to see her like this. She had traded her normal business casual attire for a skirt and blouse that was quite festive. 

Putting his plastic cup down emphatically, Fitz headed for his cubicle, pausing only long enough to say, “I’m going to do it.”

He didn’t wait to hear what Hunter or Daisy had to say, knowing he would just feel nervous all over again. By the time he grabbed the envelope from his desk, and moved towards Jemma’s office he was feeling downright confident. This was definitely the right thing to do. And it was, even if his current certainty was due in part to the vodka he’d consumed.

Her door was open, as it always was. When Jemma said she had an open door policy, she meant it. He really would miss having her as his boss. She was genuine in a way that so many people weren’t. He carefully placed the envelope on the clear surface of her desk. She’d see it the next time she was in her office. 

“I thought I saw you sneak up here.”

“Bloody hell!” Fitz nearly jumped out of his shoes in surprise. “I didn’t think anyone would be up here.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, but I saw you come up here.”

“And you thought I might be up to something devious?”

“I thought about it, but then I realized Hunter and Daisy were still at the party. So it’s unlikely.”

“Maybe they sent me so you wouldn’t get suspicious,” he suggested. It was nice to just forget about everything for a little while. No work. No projects. Just the two of them. But at the same time he also wasn’t ready for her to discover his resignation letter. He didn’t want to ruin the evening. 

“I don’t think so. I think you had another reason for slipping away.”

He walked towards her, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. She hadn’t seemed to care that he was in her office, which was...odd. But when he reached the doorway where she was standing, she tilted her head up and he followed her gaze. Right above them was a sprig of mistletoe. He swallowed, ready to step back and laugh it off, but Jemma was looking at him intently and he couldn’t look away. 

“Did you...I mean, can I —“

“Yes.” 

And then her lips were on his and the scent of her shampoo surrounded him. It was the best first kiss he’d ever had. Not that he’d had very many. But after all the time they’d spent together, he felt like he knew her inside and out. They moved together effortlessly, seeming to anticipate each other’s thoughts and movements. She pushed him gently against the doorframe and he wrapped his arms more tightly around her, the heels she was wearing putting her at the perfect height for him to rest his hands on her waist. 

Jemma deepened the kiss and it went on and on, the gentle pressure of her body against his nearly driving him mad. 

When she moved away, she didn’t go far, biting her lip. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”

Fitz licked his lips, not sure what he was supposed to say. “Why did you wait?”

“Because it would have been incredibly inappropriate for me to make advances while I was your boss.”

“Oh.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “How did you know I was quitting? Did Daisy tell you?”

“You’re quitting?”

“Well, yeah. That’s why you aren’t my boss any longer.”

“I’m not your boss because I’m not anyone’s boss anymore. I’m being transferred.” She gave him a small, almost sad, smile. “Why are you leaving? Finally had it with the boss?”

“Not even close.” His hands still rested loosely on her hips and he tugged her closer. “You’re the best boss I’ve ever had. It’s just that...well, I think it’s time —“

“To move on.” She smiled, even if her expression was a little sad. “You should use your talents somewhere they are appreciated.”

“You don’t appreciate my talents?”

“I do, of course. But this job...you can do so much good in the world.”

“I just...I just thought you’d still be here.”

It was hard to feel sad when she was saying such wonderful things to him and he could feel the warmth of her skin beneath his hands. 

“It’s time for me to move on too,” Jemma whispered, leaning close to him again. “I do care about you. So much. This just isn’t the place for me. I want to feel like I’m doing something important. Something worth all of the sacrifices I’ve made.”

He understood her words. Of course he did. He wanted the same thing. He just didn’t like being one of the things she was willing to sacrifice to follow her dreams. 

“But…” Jemma smoothed down the front of his shirt, and his skin tingled everywhere she touched. Luckily she kept talking since he wasn’t sure he’d be able to form any words that made sense. “We still have tonight.”

His brain was still processing her words, trying to decide if she meant what it sounded like she meant, when she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Sure now that they both wanted the same thing he slotted his lips more firmly against hers and nearly squeaked when her hands descended to his bum and she gave a squeeze.

“Want you,” he mumbled against her lips, fire racing through his body. 

“Good.” She gave a small nod before pulling him back into her office and kicking the door closed behind her. 

Jemma quickly worked on the buttons of his shirt, while Fitz kissed down her neck and over her exposed collarbone. 

“Jemma...wait. Jemma —“ He let out a moan as she scraped her nails across his stomach. “I like you. A lot. I wanted to ask you...to dinner.”

“I’d love to have dinner with you.” She pushed his shirt off his shoulders. “But I also want this. With you.”

“Right. Yeah. Ok.” Everything was happening so fast, but at the same time nothing had ever felt so right. “I do too. You’re so beautiful.”

Their words turned to panted breaths and sighs as their hands wandered and their lips explored each other. Jemma swept the envelope Fitz had just placed on her desk onto the floor before easing herself onto the edge of the desk, pulling Fitz between her legs. 

This wasn’t at all what he had planned for tonight, but this was officially the best Christmas party he’d ever attended.

* * *

Jemma reached for his trousers, looking him in the eye the whole time. His eyes were still blue but now they reminded her of a stormy sea. She hoped all of that was for her. Until Fitz she’d always felt a bit incomplete, like no one could quite understand her. But he did, and it was marvelous. 

He inhaled a breath as she unzipped his trousers and she slowly pushed them down with his pants. 

“Do you have a condom?” Fitz looked confused, so she twisted around to look for her purse. “I have one if you don’t.”

His hand on hers stopped her. “Yeah. I have one. Hold on.”

He stepped back a little awkwardly to pull his wallet out of his pocket and Jemma slipped her knickers down her legs, grateful for her decision to wear a dressier skirt for the occasion rather than what she usually wore to work. She could hardly believe this was happening. They deserved more time together, but if this was all they had, then she’d take it. No more letting opportunities pass her by.

As soon as the condom was in his hand and his wallet dropped unceremoniously on the floor, Jemma plucked the small foil packet from his grasp. He kissed her again as she fumbled with the condom, finally unrolling it down his length. Excitement bubbled up inside her and she almost laughed at how lighthearted she felt in his arms. But then he deepened the kiss and all thoughts of anything except him faded from her mind. 

Scooting to the edge of the desk, she guided him to her entrance and moaned at the first thrust of his hips. It felt divine, his cock filling her, as his mouth moved down her neck to the sensitive skin on her shoulder. She wrapped her legs more tightly around him so she could rock her hips in time with his movements. He was making her feel things she’d never felt before. Jemma let her head fall back and supported her weight on her arms as pleasure built inside her. 

She could hear Fitz’s voice murmuring to her, even if she couldn’t hear all the words, and her body pulsed with need. She’d heard him talk about science. She’d seen him work, his fingers moving over his tablet as he designed. And she’d seen his face screwed up in concentration as he worked out a tricky problem. None of that had duly prepared her for what it would feel like to be with him like this. 

“Fitz —“

She’d meant to tell him she was almost there, the slow build of her orgasm nearly at the crescendo, when he moved those very clever fingers over her clit. She bit back what would have almost certainly been a very loud moan and covered her mouth with a hand. He moved faster, his thumb on her clit tracing tight circles. And then a thousand fireworks exploded, her channel pulsing around him while wave after wave of pleasure rushed over her. 

“Oh, Fitz.”

Once the haze cleared from her vision, she fixed her gaze on Fitz, wanting to see the moment he tipped over the edge. His eyes were closed and his mouth was moving, though no sounds came out. She thought she saw her own name, but couldn’t be sure. 

She sat up, changing the angle a bit, and he moaned, thrusting more erratically.

“Come for me, Fitz,” she whispered. His eyes flew open and their gazes locked before he let out a strangled cry and thrust once more inside her.

Jemma wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as his breathing evened out. She kissed him gently on the cheek and his breath came out slowly. 

“I love you.” 

She froze. Not sure what to say. But he didn’t say anything else and she let the moment pass. There would be time later to figure out what all of this meant.

* * *

His first day as a free man wasn’t as exciting as Fitz had imagined. Daisy and Hunter were at work all day, and he didn’t have anything to do since the robot prototype was finished and submitted. In fact, all he had to do was sit and wait to hear from Phil Coulson, CEO of SHIELD Toy Company, on his decision.

Instead of doing something more productive, he spent the day thinking about Jemma. The night of the Christmas party had been something he’d never forget. He hadn’t even imagined that they’d end up where they had, but something had burst in them and all of those feelings had flooded out into the world. But no matter how unexpected it had been, he didn’t regret any of it. He was certain of his feelings and wanted the chance to tell her -- and not just after the best orgasm of his life. But he hadn’t seen her, and according to Daisy and Hunter she had already left.

The thought that she’d left without even saying goodbye hurt a little bit. He’d thought she had felt things too, though he knew her job was important to her. He could understand that. At least they’d had that one moment of happiness. He’d never forget her either way.

Hours later his phone buzzed and Fitz almost tripped over his own feet trying to reach it.

“Hello?” He tried to slow his breathing so it wasn’t obvious he’d just been running across the room to the phone.

“Dr. Fitz?”

“Yeah. I mean, yes. That’s me.”

“This is Phil Coulson, from SHIELD.” There was a slight pause but Fitz didn't respond because he was too busy holding his breath. “I just wanted to let you know that while we appreciate your entry into the toy competition, another winner has been selected. Our toys aren’t quite so...complex.”

“Oh, yeah. Ok.”

“I hope you have a wonderful holiday, and let me know if you ever decide to go into the toy making business. I think you have a promising future.”

The call ended and Fitz stood there staring at his phone, not sure what he was supposed to do next. After all that work he was not good enough once again. He wanted to get mad...but he couldn’t. Not really.

The time they’d spent working had been fun. He knew the design was good. And it had led him to Jemma. That wasn’t something he could regret, even if he hadn’t won.

By the time Daisy arrived with pizza and beer to celebrate the start of his job search, he was feeling much more at peace with everything that had happened. Sometimes you just had to take what life gave you. In this case it wasn’t what he’d wanted, but maybe it would lead to something better. And he knew exactly where to start.

“So, tell me about your day,” Daisy said as she took a piece of pizza from the box. The cheese looked extra gooey and his mouth watered, but he still made an effort to scowl at her.

“You aren’t my mother.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. You know I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know.”

“But really, how was it? Did you watch TV all day and eat junk food?”

He eyed the bottles in front of them and laughed.

“No, I didn’t. But I did find out we didn’t win the competition.”

“Oh, Fitz. I’m so sorry. I know how much that meant to you.”

“No, it’s fine.” At her look of disbelief, he added, “No, really, it is. In fact, how would you feel about quitting your job?”

“You want me to be unemployed too? Is this one of those misery loves company things?”

“No. I don’t want you to be miserable. I was just thinking that maybe...maybe I could start my own company. One that focuses on STEM toys. Mathematics, coding --”

“Biology, chemistry --”

“What? No. I mean, yes. But not like that.” Daisy raised her eyebrows. “It doesn’t matter. She’s long gone, apparently. And I don’t...don’t know how to reach her even if I wanted to.”

“If you want, I could get her number for you.” 

The way she said it, he had a feeling she’d be using less-than-legal means, but for a second he thought about what it would be like to call her. Or even to show up at her new office, wherever that might be. But that sounded too creepy, even to him. “Nah. If she wanted me to call, she would have given me her number.”

Daisy looked like she was about to argue, but then a knock sounded at the door and a smile appeared on her face instead. “I guess you better get that.”

“I guess?”

He wasn’t expecting any visitors besides Daisy, though he supposed it could be Hunter. Bobbi was mysteriously out of town again, though Hunter wouldn’t say where she’d gone.

He pulled the door open unceremoniously and was almost floored by the sight of Dr. Jemma Simmons.

“Jemma? What are you doing here? I thought you’d left.”

“I did.” She took a deep breath. “And then I came back. Because I don’t want to leave, and I don’t have to keep going down a path that isn’t what I want anymore.”

Fitz stared at her, snowflakes falling quietly around her, and realized he should ask her in.

“Come inside,” he said, reaching for her hand which was cold as ice. “You must be freezing.”

“A little. But I’m much better now.” 

As soon as he got her safely inside, door closed behind them, Daisy appeared at his shoulder.

“Well, I was just heading out. Great to see you, Jemma.”

“Daisy.” Jemma’s eyes moved between Fitz and Daisy, though he noticed Daisy shaking her head slightly as she walked past Jemma.

“I hope you two have a good night.” And then, with a burst of frigid air from the open door, she was gone, leaving Fitz grimacing at the innuendo in her words.

“Just ignore her,” he ground out. “Can I get you something? Something to drink? Eat?”

“I actually wanted to talk. I realized something and I wanted to tell you.”

Jemma shrugged off her coat and Fitz hung it up before leading her into the warmth of the living room. But before they could sit down, words burst from her. “Fitz, I missed you. As soon as I left I knew it was the wrong choice.”

She looked up at him, as if willing him to do something, and he really wanted to give her what she wanted. He just didn’t know what it was.

“I missed you too,” he said softly.

And then she was kissing him and everything was right again. He slid his arms around her and she leaned into him. The kiss was sweet and gentle -- full of promises and hope. When he broke the kiss he rested his forehead against hers, not wanting to lose the feeling of closeness.

“When do you leave?” He could accept just the part of her she was willing to give, but he had to know how much time they had left.

“Leave?”

“For your new job.”

“I’m not leaving, Fitz.” She took a step back, looking more nervous than he’d ever seen her. She had always been so confident, so self-assured, and he was starting to wonder how much of that was real and how much had been a facade. “I don’t need to leave to prove I can be the person I’ve always wanted to be. I can do that right here. With you.”

“Oh. Are you looking for a job?” he asked. “Because I’ve been thinking about starting my own company and I could use your expertise.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” He kissed her again, relieved when she relaxed against him.

“What kind of company?” she asked against his lips.

“Uh, a toy company. Making STEM toys. Unless...unless you think that’s silly.”

“I think it’s brilliant.” She gave him one more peck on the lips before stepping back. “I’d love to work with you. But there is one thing…”

“What? I can do anything you’d like.”

At her smile he realized he was probably making a fool of himself, but he didn’t care. He really would do anything for her.

“Nothing like that,” she said with a wave of her hand. “It’s just that since neither of us has a job right now, money is going to be tight while we get this company off the ground.”

“Oh, yeah.” His heart sunk a little. “I mean, I have some savings.”

“So do I. But we could always be roommates to save some money.”

“Roommates? You mean, ah…” He let the words trail off, knowing he was probably turning bright red.

“I mean, we could move in together. If you want.”

“Yeah, that would be fine. Good, I mean. That would be good.” He moved his hands from her waist and moved them a little lower so she didn’t misunderstand him.

“Now, why don’t we get more comfortable, and you can tell me what ideas you’ve come up with so far.”

As they settled onto the couch, poring over the tablet where he’d made all his notes so far, he thought about how different his life was from last Christmas -- and how very, very good that was.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
